SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE ***½

Danny Boyle directed this drama/romance which stars: Dev Patel, Madhur Mittal, and Freida Pinto. Rated R for some violence, disturbing images and language. Running time is two hours.

An 18 year-old orphan (Patel) from the slums of Mumbai is just one question away from winning a staggering 20 million rupees on India's "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" When the show breaks for the night, police arrest him on suspicion of cheating; how could a street kid know so much? During the course of the movie we learn about his relationship with his brother (Mittal), another slum orphan (Pinto), and just how he knows the answers to the questions the program asks.

If you want to see this film in Wichita you'll have to drive East to the Warren 13th which is playing it exclusively. It's well worth the trip. Many of the Oscar prognosticators are saying this will be the Best Picture this year and they could well be right. It's a little confusing at first but as the film progresses its intent becomes obvious even as it keeps switching between various scenes and times. The actors are relative newcomers to the profession so the film doesn't appear as polished as some you'll see but the story is compelling and the film seems very realistic. There's not a lot of "must see" talk about this film but if you like good, quality film, you should see this one.